ISSUE 41 | MARCH 28, 2025
You Are an IMMORTAL BIRD! (And Why It’s Darkest Before the Dawn)
Hello Loves,
If you want the audio experience of this, you can listen (I wax on and make way more jokes) on my podcast, WITH LOVE, DANIELLE.
I’m starting off with this invitation because it’s time-sensitive: I’m doing a free class tomorrow called THE RITUALS CLASS: Practices that help you choose—and stick to, better habits. If you can’t make it LIVE, we’ll send you the video.
Saturday, March 29 at 9am PT | 12pm ET
Free public class. Hot topic.
I think we’ve gone habit-crayyyyzy. We think willfulness can force results. And it can—but at what cost? Adrenal fatigue? Toxic striving?
Rituals are very different than habits. Rituals infuse our actions with meaning—they pull in divine support. And THEN we should take action—repeatedly… habitually.
THE RITUALS CLASS IS HERE FOR YOU
And now, back to THE SACRED!
Phoenix
— D.H. Lawrence
Are you willing to be sponged out, erased, cancelled,
made nothing?
Are you willing to be made nothing?
dipped into oblivion?
If not, you will never really change.
The phoenix renews her youth
only when she is burnt, burnt alive, burnt down
to hot and flocculent ash.
Then the small stirring of a new small bub in the nest
with strands of down like floating ash
shows that she is renewing her youth like the eagle,
immortal bird.
[Flocculent means “soft and looking like wool, or composed of or containing small pieces of something.”]
I’ve been in a pendulum of suffering and joy these last few weeks. NATURALLY. The planets are stomping like flamenco dancers. Patterns? BYE! Sleepy? WAKE UP! The old is OUT. The New is begging for our grace, please.
Astrologically speaking, the month of March 2025 was made for Warriors of Light. Those who feel, as D.H. Lawrence said, dipped into oblivion. And those of us who intend to ALWAYS come out on the other side. Immortal birds are we!
On a particularly dark day, I thought, I’mma cry in bed today, lounge lizard with the heaviness. I never do that. I work from home—I can do that! So I kind of did that. It was EXCELLENT. It was cathartic, and it was just what I needed. I felt so much better. The following day was so.much.lighter.
The pile-up of my circumstantial stressors—complaints, dissatisfactions, compromises I’m really pissed off about making (ba-ha-ha when freewill back fires and you want to blame everyone else for your choices)… those challenging circumstances aren’t what matters.
Challenges come to kick up what’s in the dark, the unresolved stuff in the unconscious inner world. That is THE function of suffering. Illness comes to evoke a healing response. In other words, a shitty season is a portal to higher consciousness. I leaned into this one like a cranky, keen, resilient immortal babe.
GUILT IS A DOORWAY TO INNOCENCE.
Guilt is how my shadow self rolls. For some people, it’s fear, anxiety. Me, guilt. I experience emotions of guilt for what I want, and for feeling bummed about not getting what I want. Guilt about talents, guilt for shortcomings. I’ve been digging deeper into this phenomenon, and I think it’s going to be the focus of my practice for a while. Here’s what I’ve figured out so far:
Guilt points us to both motive and innocence.
“The esoteric system is all based upon the ultimate motive. Ultimate motive is the service of truth itself, a complete dedication to the service of the realities of existence.” — Manly P. Hall
Motive is about conscience. And it’s ALWAYS a good thing to have that in check.
Innocence is that sublime awareness of our True Nature—our eternal belovedness.
I’m auditing both my motives (could clean some of those up) and my purity of heart.
RESILENCE IS OUR TRUE NATURE
We don’t have to “act” resilient. At your core, YOU ARE RESILENCE ITSELF.
The Higher Self is, by its very nature, Resilence. Because the Higher Self is the stuff of Divine LOVE—accepting, creative, ever creative and adaptable.
When life demands resilience from you, just be more of your True Self.
“THIS IS HAPPENING”
"The key to transformation is to make friends with this moment. What form it takes doesn't matter. Say yes to it. Allow it. Be with it." — Eckhart Tolle
Acceptance is a Soul Quality, one of the pure virtues. I talk a LOT about how to do it in How To Be Loving. Just when I think I’m embodying Acceptance, my Soul gives me a new gnarly and amazing something to Fully Accept. That’s how growing works. I’ve come to accept that.
SUFFERING IS PERSONAL
Measuring my suffering against the suffering of others invalidates (and protracts) my own suffering. My heart is shattered for 900 tragedies happening in the world on a daily basis. I am blessed beyond measure. And, my suffering is mine. When I honour that, it moves through me faster.
I’M FIIIIINE. REALLY.
I’m good, no matter what. Cancel culture didn’t break me. Or getting ass-canned from my own incorporation. Or repeated mold poisoning, Epstein Barr, Interstitial Cystis; or divorce, professional betrayal, three serious car crashes, a run-in with Voldemort’s cousin, or Neptune being in my 6th House of Health + Work for almost a DECADE.
Seriously, I GOT THIS. And I will ALWAYS got this. I am an IMMORTAL BIRD!
Same for you.
IT’S DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN
It’s physics and it’s metaphysics.
Accept the dark.
Dig for the light source—which is always a Soul Quality WITHIN YOU like Loving Kindness, Compassion, Resilience.
And trust in the dawn. It’s always en route. The speed at which the dawn arrives is partially up to us—we do the work. And it’s very much up to The Divine. Trust her.
I love that you’re here! Thank you.
Immortal birds, RISE!
P.S. THE RITUALS CLASS IS HERE FOR YOU. TOMORROW Saturday, March 29 at 9am PT | 12pm ET. If you can’t attend live, be sure to register to receive the video recording to watch on-demand.
P.P.S. FOR SPEAKERS + WRITERS + CHANGE AGENTS: My very first (and only) speaking coach is doing her last teaching Immersion. Gail Larsen. Santa Fe. She is a sage and powerful guide. She only takes 6 people in the group. Tell her I sent you—we adore each other. My highest recommendation for working with Gail.
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